Currently, 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) is now moving towards introducing a Home evolved Node B (hereinafter, also referred to as “HeNB”) in addition to the general evolved Node B (hereinafter, also referred to as “eNB”) in LTE (Long Term Evolution) that is the next generation communication scheme and in LTE-A (LTE-Advanced) that is an advanced version of LTE. The HeNB is directed to enlarging the service area and is for individual use.
In general, a HeNB is envisaged to provide a cell area smaller than the cell area provided by an eNB. Hereinafter, a cell provided by an eNB is also referred to as a “macrocell”, whereas a cell provided by a HeNB is referred to as a “home cell”.
The handover of a mobile terminal (User Equipment) currently connected in communication with an eNB (macrocell) to a HeNB (the inbound handover to a HeNB) is already determined (referred to Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2). Specifically, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses the process when a HeNB is selected as the handover target during communication connection of a mobile terminal with an eNB.
Moreover, introducing carrier aggregation for LTE-A is considered at 3GPP. Carrier aggregation is the technique to expand the maximum transmission bandwidth that can be supported as wide as 100 MHz from 20 MHz that is the maximum transmission bandwidth of LTE. In order to support such a bandwidth of 100 MHz, usage of a plurality of component carriers corresponding to 20 MHz that is the maximum transmission bandwidth of LTE to carry out data transmission and reception between a mobile terminal and a base station is anticipated.